


In a Glass

by glymr



Category: Eroica Yori Ai o Komete | From Eroica with Love
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2009-07-22
Updated: 2010-01-02
Packaged: 2017-12-03 17:23:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/700794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glymr/pseuds/glymr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He looked up at Klaus with an unpleasant expression and eyes as flat and hard as two blue stones. "What," he said in a tone of extreme dislike, "do you want?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Major Klaus von dem Eberbach blinked again, but the apparition was still there.

Eroica, but as Klaus had never known him.

For one thing, the free-flying, golden hair was closely confined as he had never seen it, except when a mission had most desperately required it. For another, even with them drawn severely back from his face, Klaus could see that the wild curls were considerably shorter than he could ever remember them being. They couldn't go much past the Earl's shoulders, even when he let his hair down.

To make matters infinitely worse, he was wearing a _suit_. And not just any suit, but a dark, conservative suit that could have been a carbon copy of the multiple versions hanging in Klaus's own closet at Schloss von Eberbach.

And on top of all this, he was sitting at Klaus's _desk_!

He looked up at Klaus with an unpleasant expression and eyes as flat and hard as two blue stones. "What," he said in a tone of extreme dislike, "do _you_ want?"

Klaus was momentarily stunned. Then he scowled at the irritating thief and growled, "I believe that's _my_ line. What the _hell_ are you doing here, Ero--"

The Earl cut him off, jumping up and slamming his fist down on the desk with a sharp sound. He paused a moment, as if startled, his eyes widening as he looked over Klaus. Then they narrowed again and he moved from behind the desk with incredible speed and gripped Klaus's lapels, slamming him against the wall.

"You goddamn filthy German pervert," spat Eroica in a cold fury. "This time you've gone too far! I have no idea what you think you can gain by imitating me, but this is the last straw, Eroica!"

Klaus was again taken aback, both by the words and the raw fury that suffused them.

Moving easily, he broke Eroica's grip on him and pushed the other man violently away. " _What_ did you call me?!" he roared, confused as much as he was incensed. 

Eroica blinked. "I called you Eroica--"

"That's what I thought." Klaus's hands clenched reflexively into fists. "I don't know what you're playing at, you dirty, perverted thief. I don't know why you're in _my_ office, or why you're not dressed in your usual disgusting attire. A!" he bellowed, "Get your ass in here and escort this uninvited guest out of my office!"

The door opened and a man rushed in. "Major Glo-" He stopped, seeing the two men glaring at each other, and his eyebrows rose as he took in the situation. After a moment of staring he said calmly, "Come along, sir, you know we can't allow you to keep bursting in and annoying the Major this way." Klaus frowned and turned at the voice, and his face further blackened when he saw that the man was not his trusted Agent A, but one of Eroica's men, and that he was rapidly advancing on Klaus himself!

"What are _you_ doing here?!" he shouted in much the same tone that the Earl had used earlier. "Where's A?!"

The man, Bonham, Klaus remembered, frowned, but did not falter in his approach. When he closed with Klaus, the major laid him out neatly with a few strategically placed punches. "I am not going to be escorted out of my own office, and I am particularly not going to leave some English pervert in possession of it-!"

The explosion, shatteringly loud in the enclosed space, might have caught anyone else off-guard. Klaus was on the floor, his gun drawn, and covering the false Agent A with his own body before his mind even registered the gunshot. His hand swung unerringly in the direction of the enemy, his finger tightening on the trigger-

He froze.

His gun was trained on Eroica.   
  
Eroica had _shot_ at him.

_Eroica_ was still pointing a very large gun at him.

With one hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Gloria put a hand to his head as though it pained him, saying irritably, "Eroica, I really don't have time for your games today."

"I have your...undivided...attention now, I trust?" said the golden-haired man without a trace of irony. He stalked up to Klaus and smiled a cold, mirthless smile. "I don't know what game you're playing, and I don't care. I will not tolerate you manhandling my associates. Is that CLEAR?" His voice was like a whip, and Klaus felt his back involuntarily stiffening in response. He managed to bite back the quick, "Yes, sir!" that came to his lips, and instead, holding Eroica's blue eyes with his own, he gave a quick, sharp nod.

A moment later, there was a loud, frantic knocking at the door. 

"What?" said Eroica sharply, and there was a pause, as of someone hesitating, and then a voice from the other side of the door. "We heard a gunshot...are you all right in there, Major?"

"Yes," said Eroica. "G, B, Z, please come in. The rest of you: GET BACK TO WORK BEFORE I SEND YOU ALL TO CANADA!" There was the sound of a great scrambling as the door opened and three people hurried in.

Klaus glared. More of Eroica's men! And that damned accountant...dressed like a woman!

"G, Z, please escort our...guest...off the premises. I do not think he will give us any more trouble. B, see to A."

"Yes, sir!" replied the other men crisply. The accountant and another man Klaus thought he recognized approached him. Before they got to him, though, he turned and strode up to the desk, where Eroica was already sitting back down, apparently ignoring him. "Eroi-" Klaus paused, then began again. "Dorian-"

Dorian's eyes snapped up to his face. "That's _Lord Gloria_ to you, you nasty German queer," he bit out. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

Klaus swallowed. "Lord Gloria," he began again, then hesitated.

Lord Gloria continued to stare at him. After a moment, his eyes narrowed again, and an odd expression flitted across his face. Then he became stoic and growled, "Spit it out! But I warn you, if you're going to tell me that you love me again, I will NOT be responsible for my actions!"

That did it. Klaus' mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide. "ME say I love YOU? Is this a JOKE?" he roared. " _What in God's Name is going on here?_ "

Lord Gloria put a hand to his head as though it pained him, saying irritably, "Eroica, I really don't have time for your games today."

"GAMES?! How DARE YOU! And if I'm to call you Lord Gloria, you will DAMNED well address me as Major von dem Eberbach!" Klaus snarled. 

Lord Gloria stared at him with a poleaxed expression for a moment, then gave vent to a short bark of laughter. "Very good! G, escort _Major von dem Eberbach_ ," his voice dripped with scorn, "Out of the building."

A hand was laid on Klaus' arm, and he spun around with a shout, only to see the annoying accountant standing beside him.

"Please, sir," said the accountant quietly, "The major's already in a bad mood, as you can see."

"I am NOT in a bad mood!" barked Lord Gloria.

The pretty little accountant in his pretty little dress looked up at Klaus with pleading eyes. "Won't you come with me, sir?"

Klaus swallowed and looked around him wildly for a moment, then closed his eyes for a second and gave that same quick, sharp nod. The accountant smiled blindingly at him and put his hand familiarly on Klaus' arm. Klaus shook off the hand in disgust and turned sharply on his heel, entirely missing the hurt expression that crossed the effeminate face. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because no matter what pranks Eroica had pulled, no matter what crazy stunts he had done, Klaus was certain of one thing.

Klaus had been walking for nearly an hour. His stride was purposeful, his pace brisk; he looked like a man that knew where he was going. 

In fact, he was lost. The streets he walked through nagged at the edge of his consciousness with a sense of familiarity, but he could not place it. Surely he had never been here before?

He was growing hungry and tired; soon he would have to find a place to spend the night. He had a little money in his pocket - German money - and several credit cards, but he hadn't dared try to use them yet. His mind was spinning in circles. Was he drugged? Was this some sort of elaborate plot? He tried to cast his mind back to how he'd gotten here, but all he could think of was Eroica.

But...not Eroica. Lord Gloria, he corrected himself. 

Because no matter what pranks Eroica had pulled, no matter what crazy stunts he had done, Klaus was certain of one thing:

Eroica could never have shot that gun one-handed.

* * *

Eroica stared. The Iron Major's hair spilled down his back in a luxurious black wave, his green eyes brought out by the deep emerald of the velvet tunic he was wearing. A scent of Jasmine wafted to Dorian's nose.

Klaus was staring back; he seemed to be unable to take his eyes from Dorian, his gaze tracing from Dorian's curly locks to his diaphanous blue blouse to the tight pants he wore. Finally their eyes met.

And, as one, they spoke.

"Who the hell are you?"

* * *

Rounding a corner, suddenly he *knew* where he was, or where this was supposed to be. 

It was London. Just a very different London from any he remembered.

And it was at this moment of epiphany that a small, irresistible force grabbed hold of him.

"Barooooon!" wailed the petite, blond figure in German. "Your hair! What did you do to your hair? Did you at least get a good price for it?"

Klaus stood stock-stiff for a moment as the creature clung to him. Finally he disentangled himself from...it and held it at arm's length.

"G?" he said blankly.

The pretty blond man actually looked slightly more masculine than usual, though his blond hair curled around his face as effeminately as ever. Klaus continued to hold him at arm's length and glanced around, his eye falling on a group of people hurrying towards them.

His Alphabets. Except...Dear God, what were they _wearing?_ And he'd never seen them looking so fit and so...pretty. They rushed up to him, looking relieved. 

"Baron," said one of them, "we've been looking all over for you-" he stopped abruptly, frowning and staring at Klaus. "...you cut your hair?" he asked incredulously.

Klaus didn't even bother to reply to B, just closed his eyes against a sudden nausea. Against the image of himself with long hair, dressed like a fop, a perverted thief. 

"Damnit," he whispered, combing one hand through his hair. He glared at his Alphabets...no, not *his*, he told himself, and they swayed back as one, looking alarmed. Except for G, who grabbed his arm again and clung to him. "Baron, Baron, what's wroooong?" wailed the petite blond man.

"Shut. UP." Klaus jerked his arm away sharply and G stumbled back, looking frightened. The men cowered.

That was more like it.

"Take me to my hotel," he ordered.

There was silence for a moment, then A spoke up hesitantly. "Do you, do you mean your flat, sir?"

Damn. "Yes," growled Klaus. "Take me to my flat."

If the men wondered why he didn't seem to remember where his own flat was, they kept their mouths shut.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's not just me," he whispered. "It's all backwards. All...backwards."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since starting this, I've been sucked into DC fandom, which is part of the reason I haven't continued this. The other reason is that, while I love the universe a lot, I have no idea what happens next! However, after chatting with mosellegreen for awhile today, I decided to at least put up the fourth chapter which was still sitting on my hard drive. ^^;

The flat was typical Eroica, luxurious to the point of decadence and decorated with ridiculously foppish art, most of it probably stolen. The Alphabets hovered in the doorway nervously. "Bring me a newspaper," he snapped, and they scrambled to obey. He snatched it and began to read the first article his eye fell on.

The date was yesterday's.

The paper was the London Times.

The article was nonsensical.

 

>   
> **U.S.R. GETTING READY FOR LONDON SUMMIT ON ECONOMIC ISSUES; Move Reflects Improved Relations with South Britain on Growth -- Date Likely to Be in July**
> 
> U.S.R. Prepares for London Summit; Strong Growth Noted 
> 
> March 13, 1978, Monday
> 
> With the improvement in its relations with South Britain, the United States of Russia has decided to go ahead with plans for a fourth economic summit meeting of Eastern industrial leaders, probably July in London.

 

The paper crumpled in Klaus' fist.

"It's not just me," he whispered. "It's all backwards. _All_...backwards."

He sat down at the table, closing his eyes. He had to think. Had to focus.

"Bring me some Nescafé," he said.

Silence. He opened his eyes to find the men looking at him blankly.

"Nescafé, damnit!" he yelled. His men glanced at each other frantically.

"I don't...I don't know what you're talking about," whispered A, almost in tears. If his own men had ever acted like this...

Klaus shook his head and gave up. Then a thought struck him and without thinking he said, "What does...Dorian drink."  His tone was so flat that the men didn't realize for a moment that it was a question.

"D-Dorian? You mean, the Iron Earl?"

Klaus opened his mouth and the men visibly braced themselves, but he only growled, "...yes. What does *he* drink?"

"Oh. Oh! Gold Blend!" said A, his face lighting up.

"Yes!" said Klaus. "Get me some of that."

"Y-yes, Baron!"

He would have these men whipped into shape if it killed him.  Or them.


End file.
